Packaging and blank handling systems

ABSTRACT

Flat blanks are fed from a stack by bending back a flap to form an inside corner, engaging the corner with a puller bar and pulling the blank from the stack and along a path past plows which bend the blank to form it about a mandrel while a product to be packaged is moved along inside the mandrel in synchronism with the blank movement. Pusher element retraction means are also disclosed as are rotation means for rotating partially completed cartons to orient extended end tabs and flaps with stationary plows for effecting end closure of the cartons thus formed.

0 United States Patent [191 [111 3,844,088 McDonough et al. Oct. 29, 1974 1 PACKAGING AND BLANK HANDLING 2,645,984 7/1953 Linstedt 93/49 R SYSTEMS galloway )l:

, eer [75] Inventors: David R. McDonough; Henry W. 3,429,570 2/1969 Scully McDonough, both of Dundee, Ill. 3,599,970 8/ I971 Smithe 271/101 X [73] Asslgnee: McDonough Manufacturing Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Company, Elgm, lll. Asszstant Examiner-John Stpos Flledi y 15, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Charles B. Cannon [21] Appl. No.: 360,587

[57] ABSTRACT 52 US. Cl 53/3, 53/389, 93/53 so Flat blanks *9 a Stack P bendmg a [51] Int Cl B65) 41/08 flap to form an inside comer, engaging the corner with [58] Fie'ld 207 389 a puller bar and pulling the blank from the stack and 93/49 R R 53 i I along a path past plows which bend the blank to form 2717100 12 it about a mandrel while a product to be packaged 1s moved along inside the mandrel in synchronism with [56] References Cited the blank movement. Pusher element retraction means are also disclosed as are rotation means for rotating UNITED STATES PATENTS partially completed cartons to orient extended end g gi : tabs and flaps with stationary plows for effecting end mu 1 f h art th f d, 1,956,699 5/1934 Russell 271/131 X cosure o t e c f us ornfe 2,609,736 9/1952 Montgomery 93/49 R 26 Clmms, 34 Drawing Figures PATENTEDIJBI 29 m4 aie44laaa sum 01 or 19 sum 02 or 19 PATENTEnnm 29 I974 PATENTEI] URI 2 9 I974 sum 03 or 19 PATENTED um 29 1974 saw us or 19 PATENTEDnm 29 mm M sum 080F19 PATENTEDumzsam H II II n 4 ll II II II SHEET 08 0F 19 PATENIEUum 29 m4 L-gg p 19 3.844; 088

PATENIEDummsM. I I 3844088 sum 10V0F19 PATENTEDUEI 2 9 I974 I 3 344,03

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1. A flap bending mechanism for bending back flaps of prescored carton blanks, said mechanism comprising a support plate against one side of which a stack of carton blanks may rest with an edge of the plate aligned with a flap score line on said blanks so that the flaps of said carton blanks extend beyond said edge of said plate, a suction element and suction element mounting means operative to move the suction element transversely of the plane of said plate to bring the suction element into engagement with the flap of the carton blank immediately ajdacent said support plate and to move said suction element, with said flap, back to the opposite side of said plate whereby the flap becomes partially bent along its flap score line about said edge of said plate and becomes separated from the corresponding flap of the next adjacent carton blank to form an opening therebetween, and a pusher member mounted to move into said opening and to continue movement past said edge of said plate along its said opposite side thereby to complete the bending of said flap about the edge of said plate.
 2. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said pusher member is mounted to move along a path close to the plane of said support plate.
 3. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said pusher member is mounted for rotational movement about an axis parallel to and displaced from said edge of said support plate.
 4. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said pusher member and said suction element mounting means are mechanically interconnected for synchronized movement.
 5. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said suction element mounting means comprises an arm mounted to pivot about an axis parallel to and displaced from said edge of said plate.
 6. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said suction element is connected to a vacuum control means and wherein said vacuum control means comprises valve means and cam means for operating said valve means in synchronism with the movements of said sucTion element.
 7. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said pusher member comprises a disk having a peripheral cutout and mounted for continuous rotation.
 8. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said flap bending mechanism includes carton removal means for removing cartons from said support plate following completion of bending of said flap.
 9. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 8 wherein said carton removal means comprises a puller bar extending parallel to the edge of said plate and means for moving said bar along said plate to engage said carton blank between its bent blank flap and the carton blank itself.
 10. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said pusher element is mounted to move reciprocally back and forth along its path of movement.
 11. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 10 wherein said pusher element is of sheet material extending parallel to the plane of said support plate.
 12. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 11 wherein said pusher element is mounted on a swinging arm.
 13. A flap bending mechanism according to claim 10 wherein said suction element and said pusher element are each mounted on the end of an associated swingable arm and wherein said arms is moved in synchronism by means of associated rotary cams.
 14. A flap bending mechanism for bending back flaps of flat blanks, said mechanism comprising a support plate against one side of which a stack of blanks may rest with an edge of the plate aligned with a bend line on said blanks about which their flaps are to be bent so that the flaps of said blanks extend beyond the edge of said plate, means operative to engage the extended flap of the blank lying immediately adjacent said support plate and to partially bend said flap along its bend line until said flap becomes separated from the corresponding flap of the next adjacent blank to form an opening therebetween, and a pusher member mounted to move into said opening and to continue movement past said edge of said plate along its said opposite side thereby to complete the bending of said flap about the edge of said plate.
 15. A carton blank feed mechanism for feeding precut and prescored carton blanks individually from a stack, said feed mechanism comprising storage means for holding a stack of said blanks in flattened condition, said storage means including a support for the blanks having an opening for allowing bending movement of at least one flap of the adjacent blank away from the other blanks, flap pull back means operative to pull back said one flap of said adjacent blank and to bend said one flap back about a score line, a thin elongated puller bar, means for moving said puller bar along said adjacent blank on the same side thereof as said support to engage a corner formed between said blank at the bent back flap thereby to pull said blank away from the other blanks in said storage means and to present a new blank against said support for similar feeding.
 16. A carton blank feed mechanism according to claim 15 wherein said means for moving said puller bar is synchronized with said flap pull back means such that said puller bar is brought into engagement with said corner upon the completion of operation of said pull back means.
 17. A carton blank feed mechanism according to claim 15 wherein said means for moving said puller bar includes a continuously operating conveyor on which several displaced puller bars are mounted to engage different carton blanks in succession and wherein said flap pull back means is connected to operate in synchronism with said conveyor.
 18. A carton blank feed mechanism according to claim 15 wherein said flap pull back means comprises a suction cup mounted on an arm, said arm being pivotally mounted to bring said suction cup into engagement with a carton blank in said storage means and to pull said flap partially back into said opening to produce a space between said flap and the corresponding flap of the next adjaceNt carton blank, and a pusher element mounted to enter into said space to engage the partially pulled back flap and to push said flap further back to complete its bending.
 19. A carton blank feed mechanism according to claim 18 wherein said suction cup is provided with control means for connecting same selectively to a vacuum source, said control means being operative to produce a vacuum on said suction up when it becomes initially engaged with said blank and to release said vacuum when said pusher element enters into said space.
 20. A method for bending back flaps of pre-scored carton blanks, said method comprising the steps of supporting said blanks in a stack while maintaining a solid supporting edge lying along a desired flap bend line of the outermost blank of the stack, pulling back the flap of said blank to cause partial bending of same about said edge and to form an opening between said flap and the flap of the next adjacent blank and thereafter moving a pusher element into said opening and continuing movement of said pusher element against said flap and past said edge to cause said flap to completely bend about said edge.
 21. A method according to claim 20 wherein said pusher element is moved along a path close to the plane of said carton blank on the opposite side of said edge from said carton blank.
 22. A method according to claim 20 wherein said flap is partially pulled back by application of suction thereto.
 23. A method according to claim 22 wherein suction is released from said flap upon engagement therewith by said pusher element.
 24. A method according to claim 20 wherein said carton blank is removed from said stack by application of pushing forces against said blank at an inside corner formed between blank and its bent back flap.
 25. A method according to claim 24 wherein said carton blank is removed by causing an elongated puller bar to move along the plane of said blank to engage said inside corner.
 26. A method for feeding carton blanks individually from a stack, said method comprising the steps of holding a stack of said blanks in flattened condition in a manner which allows clearance for bending back of at least one flap of the outermost blank of said stack away from the other blanks, pulling back said one flap to bend said one flap back about a score line, engaging said blank along an inside corner thereof formed between said one flap and the remainder of the blank and thereby pulling said blank away from the other blanks. 